Page 14 - Turkey

NATO presses Turkey to drop objections to Sweden's membership as meet nears

NATO on Thursday ramped up pressure on its member Turkiye to drop its objections to Sweden's membership as the military organisation seeks to deal with the issue by the time US President Joe Biden and his counterparts meet next month. Fearing that they might be targeted after Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Sweden and Finland abandoned their traditional positions of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATO's security umbrella. Finland became NATO's 31st member country in April. NATO must agree unanimously for countries to join. Turkiye's government accuses Sweden of being too lenient on terrorist organisations and security threats, including militant Kurdish groups and people associated with a 2016 coup attempt. Hungary has also delayed its approval, but the reasons why have not been made publicly clear. It's time for Sweden to join now, Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt told reporters in Oslo, where she was hosting a meeting with her counterparts to prepar

How Erdogan won in Turkey and what does it mean for the country's future

If Recep Erdogan serves the full five-year term, he will have held power for 26 years - almost the entire history of Turkey in the 21st century.

Erdogan's poll triumph leaves Turkiye divided; Lira hits record low

But the prospect of five more years of Erdogan's rule was a harsh blow to an opposition which accused him of undermining democracy as he amassed ever more power - a charge he denies

The Turkish question

Known unknowns of Erdogan's victory

Turkey election 2023: Erdogan wins another term as president but challenges remain

In a recent run-off election, Recep Tayyip Erdogan emerged victorious securing another five-year term as the president of Turkey. Watch the video to know more about his challenges.

Understanding Recep Erdogan's victory and future outlook for Turkey

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured another term as president amidst economic challenges and polarisation of political view in one of the largest economies of the world

Erdogan calls for 'unity, solidarity' after securing historic third term

Erdogan promised to ease economic difficulties and said healing the "wounds" of the massive earthquakes on February 6 would be his priority

Erdogan's reign enters 3rd decade with Turkey's presidential elections win

On Sunday's runoff election, he got 52.14 per cent against 47.86 per cent of his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu and so he will continue to be President until 2028

Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims victory in presidential runoff

Turkiye's incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared victory in his country's runoff election, extending his rule into a third decade. In his first comments since the polls closed, Erdogan spoke to supporters on a campaign bus outside his home in Istanbul. I thank each member of our nation for entrusting me with the responsibility to govern this country once again for the upcoming five years, he said. He ridiculed his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, for his loss, saying bye bye bye, Kemal, as supporters booed. The only winner today is Turkey, Erdogan said. Preliminary, unofficial results from Turkish news agencies showed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead with 98 per cent of ballot boxes counted in a presidential runoff that will decide whether the country's longtime leader stretches his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. The state Anadolu news agency showed Erdogan at 52.1 per cent, and his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, at 47.9 per ...

Erdogan takes lead in unofficial count in Turkiye's presidential runoff

Preliminary, unofficial results from Turkish news agencies showed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead with 88 per cent of ballot boxes counted in a presidential runoff that will decide whether the country's longtime leader stretches his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. The state Anadolu news agency showed Erdogan at 53 per cent, and his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, at 47 per cent. Meanwhile, the ANKA news agency, close to the opposition, showed the results at 51 per cent for Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu at 49 per cent. The outcome could have implications far beyond Ankara. Turkiye stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and it plays a key role in NATO. Erdogan's government vetoed Sweden's bid to join NATO and purchased Russian missile-defence systems, which prompted the United States to oust Turkiye from a US-led fighter-jet project. But it also helped broker a crucial deal that allowed Ukrainian grain shipments and averted a global food crisis.

Voters in Turkey choose between Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu in prez runoff

Voters in Turkiye returned to the polls Sunday to decide whether the country's longtime leader stretches his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade, or is unseated by a challenger who has promised to restore a more democratic society. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been at Turkiye's helm for 20 years, is favoured to win a new five-year term in the second-round runoff, after coming just short of an outright victory in the first round on May 14. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Istanbul, Erdogan noted that it's the first presidential runoff election in Turkiye's history. He also praised the high voter turnout in the first round and said he expected participation to be high again on Sunday. I pray to God, that it (the election) will be beneficial for our country and nation, he said. The divisive populist finished four percentage points ahead of Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the candidate of a six-party alliance and leader of Turkiye's centre-left main ...

Turkey election 2023: What's at stake in the runoff, how close is the race?

Erdogan and his AK Party have shifted Turkey away from Ataturk's secular blueprint

Erdogan counts on nationalism, security and defiance of West to win polls

Erdogan received 49.5% of the vote, while the leader of the six opposition parties Kilicdaroglu received 44.88%

Erdogan vows 'greater victory' in upcoming Turkish presidential runoff

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to win "a greater victory" in the runoff presidential election on May 28.

All you need to know about Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Erdogan's rival in Turkey

Known as Turkey's Gandhi, Kemal Kilicdaroglu is the first real challenger to President Erdogan's two-decade-long presidency in Turkey

Elections in India, Turkey and Thailand show democracy is not dead

Nevertheless, the last week has been full of reminders that, even in an age when democracy seemed to be in retreat, voters retain the power to prevent their countries from collapsing into autocracy

Turkey faces election runoff, Recep Tayyip Erdogan seen with momentum

Nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan says he will endorse only Kilicdaroglu in the runoff

With Turkiye's presidential election going to a runoff, what comes next?

Close, but not close enough. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the most votes in a weekend presidential election but could not claim victory because he failed to get the majority support required for an outright win. Preliminary results showed the longtime leader had 49.5 per cent of the vote. His main challenger, opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, garnered 45 per cent, according to Turkish election authorities. A third candidate, nationalist politician Sinan Ogan, received 5.2 per cent. The election is being followed internationally to see the future direction of Turkiye. The strategically located NATO member has cultivated warm relations with Russia, become less secular and tilted toward authoritarianism under Erdogan. Kilicdaroglu has promised to reorient the country as a democracy and is expected to adopt a more pro-Western stance. The Supreme Electoral board said Monday the results mean Erdogan, 69, and Kilicdaroglu, 74, will compete in a runoff election on Ma

Turkey heads into runoff election as Erdogan falls short of majority

Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu are staring at a runoff vote after none of them managed to secure the necessary 50% votes

Turkey Elections: Prez Erdogan, Opposition prepare for runoff poll phase

A runoff election between Turkey's President and his rival seems possible as neither appeared likely to reach the 50% threshold required to win the presidential race